The Luckenbooth Brooch!

The Luckenbooth Brooch!

The Royal Mile, one of the most famous streets in Edinburgh, runs from the castle all the way down to Holyrood Palace. When Edinburgh castle was first established this was the only accessible route, a natural ramp formed thousands of years ago gave access to a castle otherwise impregnable from the east. With the establishment […]

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What is the Sgian Dubh?

What is the Sgian Dubh?

The Sgian Dubh is a small edged knife, usually 3-4 inches in length, that is worn as part of the traditional Highland dress tucked into the top of the kilt hose with only the handle visible. It’s origins are fairly unclear, although it is now a purely ornamental item, most communally applied with an underage […]

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What is a Quaich?

What is a Quaich?

    The quaich is a traditional Scottish drinking vessel which was used to offer a guest a cup of welcome and also a farewell drink, usually a dram of whisky. The quaich has a rich heritage in Scotland. Indeed, they are a uniquely Scottish invention, having no apparent connection to any other European drinking vessel. […]

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Francis Alexander Mackinnon, 35th Chief — A Hat-Trick Victim in his Only Test

Francis Alexander Mackinnon, 35th Chief — A Hat-Trick Victim in his Only Test

Francis Alexander Mackinnon, born April 9, 1848, was the 35th chieftain of the Mackinnon Clan and a Test cricketer for England. Arunabha Sengupta remembers the life and career of the man who was the second batsman to be dismissed during Test cricket’s first hat-trick. This article was originally written for The Cricket Country, and has […]

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The Legend of Twinlaw Cairns

The Legend of Twinlaw Cairns

This weekend I visited my friends in the countryside, as I had heard there was going to be snow. Being from a semi-tropical climate, snow is still quite a big deal for me, so I jumped at the chance of getting even a tiny bit of white gold. We set out for a walk on […]

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Edinburgh Zoo!

Edinburgh Zoo!

On Wednesday 22nd July Edinburgh Zoo celebrated the 102nd anniversary of the day it first opened to the public. Going from strength to strength through the years the zoo has become Scotland’s second largest paid for tourist attraction, only being beaten by Edinburgh castle, and attracting over 600,000 visitors every year. This week we will […]

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